Food powder with improved stability and method for producing same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing food powders with improved stability, in particular with reduced hygroscopic capacity and reduced hygroscopic stability. The method comprises providing a liquid food composition, drying the liquid food composition, and adding crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides to the food powder. In particular, up to 30% of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of food powders. For example, the present invention relates to a method for producing food powders with improved stability, in particular with improved stability to moisture. The present invention also relates to food powders obtained by said method.

[0002] [Background technology] Food powders are generally stored in thermoplastic or metal packaging to preserve their quality over their shelf life. Specifically, the packaging forms a barrier between the food powder and the external environment, so that the organoleptic, functional, stability, and hygiene properties of the food powder remain acceptable and safe until consumption.

[0003] Due to environmental concerns, there is an ongoing shift to more sustainable packaging materials that are renewable and / or biodegradable. An example of a sustainable packaging option is paper. However, sustainable packaging materials, such as paper, generally have weaker barrier properties than traditional packaging and are also more porous to the external environment. As a result, food powders packaged in sustainable packaging materials are more exposed to physicochemical elements from the external environment, including moisture, which can adversely affect their stability, organoleptic, functional, and hygienic properties over their traditional shelf life.

[0004] In particular, sustainable packaging materials are more porous to the external environment, which accelerates moisture absorption of food powders, such as dairy powders. As a result, the quality and functional properties of the food powders can be adversely affected before the end of their traditional shelf life. For example, food powders can caking, exhibit carbohydrate recrystallization, undergo Maillard reactions, have reduced flow and reconstitution properties, show flavor or taste loss, or even spoil prematurely before the end of their traditional shelf life.

[0005] As an alternative to sustainable packaging, the use of no-packaging options is also being considered. For example, selling food powders in bulk is one such option. However, in this case, the challenges mentioned above become more pronounced.

[0006] Therefore, there remains a need to provide food powders that exhibit improved stability, in particular reduced moisture absorption capacity and therefore increased moisture absorption stability, over their shelf life, even when exposed to external environments containing significant relative humidity and / or temperature. It is also desirable that the food powder maintain desirable and acceptable organoleptic properties, and preferably also desirable nutritional properties.

[0007] Any reference herein to a prior art document should not be taken as an admission that such prior art is well known or forms part of the common general understanding in the art.

[0008] [Summary of the Invention] The present invention aims to improve upon the current state of the art, and in particular to provide a method and food powder that overcomes the problems of the prior art and addresses the needs noted above, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

[0009] The inventors have surprisingly found that the object of the invention can be achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims develop the inventive idea further.

[0010] Thus, a first aspect of the present invention proposes a method for producing a food powder, the method comprising: a. providing a liquid food composition, the liquid food composition comprising up to 20% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides based on the dry weight of the liquid food composition, and further comprising at least one component different from the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides; b. drying the liquid food composition to obtain a food powder; c. adding crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides to the food powder, wherein up to 30%, preferably up to 10%, of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

[0011] A second aspect of the present invention proposes a food powder comprising at least one component different from monosaccharides and disaccharides and further comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, wherein up to 25% by weight of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous and the remainder of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

[0012] A third aspect of the present invention proposes a food powder comprising a food powder obtainable by a method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0013] It has been discovered that reformulating or processing a food powder to limit the amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition before drying, and adding a desired amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in crystalline form after drying, can improve the stability of the food powder over its shelf life. In particular, this discovery can reduce the moisture absorption capacity of the food powder even when exposed to an external environment containing significant relative humidity and / or temperature, thereby increasing the moisture absorption stability of the food powder over its shelf life. The food powder of the present invention maintains good stability, quality, sensory properties, and functional properties over its shelf life. The food powder of the present invention can also maintain desirable nutritional properties.

[0014] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1]1 shows the glass transition temperature (Tg) (hygro-sensitivity curves) as a function of moisture content for different milk powders, namely the reference whole milk powder of Example 1, the modular whole milk powder of Example 2, the reference fat-filled milk powder of Example 3, the modular fat-filled milk powder of Example 4, and the modular fat-filled milk powder with ultrafiltered fresh milk of Example 5. Only the reference whole milk powder and the reference fat-filled milk powder exhibit a glass transition temperature. For the other modular milk powders of Examples 2, 4, and 5, the amount of amorphous raw material was negligible (equivalent to non-existent), so the glass transition temperature could not be measured. Therefore, since the glass transition temperature could not be measured, curves (called hygro-sensitivity curves) are not shown in FIG. 1 for the different modular milk powders of Examples 2, 4, and 5. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows the moisture content as a function of water activity (hygro-capacity curves) of different dairy powders: reference whole milk powder of Example 1, modular whole milk powder of Example 2, reference fat-filled dairy powder of Example 3, modular fat-filled dairy powder of Example 4, and modular fat-filled dairy powder with ultrafiltered fresh milk of Example 5. As shown when comparing the reference dairy powders with the corresponding modular dairy powders, replacing amorphous lactose with crystalline lactose reduces the hygroscopic capacity and therefore increases the stability of the dairy powders. [Figure 3]Figure 1 shows the moisture sorption kinetics, i.e., moisture content over time, of the reference fat-filled and modular fat-filled dairy powders at 25°C. The samples were equilibrated at 20% relative humidity (RH) for 100 hours, and then the humidity was increased from 20% to 70% RH by 5% every 24 hours. The reference fat-filled dairy powder showed a higher moisture content and a faster moisture sorption rate from the start compared to the modular fat-filled dairy powder. The modular fat-filled dairy powder exhibits a lower moisture content and a slower moisture sorption rate at comparable relative humidity due to the crystalline state of lactose. Converting amorphous lactose to a crystalline state can increase its robustness to humidity. [Figure 4]The moisture absorption rate, i.e., moisture content over time, of a reference whole milk powder sample and modular whole milk powder samples containing different amounts of crystalline / amorphous lactose at 25°C is shown (see Example 9). The sample "Milk without lactose in WM" corresponds to a modular whole milk powder prepared without lactose in the wet mix. In other words, the modular whole milk powder contains only crystalline lactose as lactose, without amorphous lactose. The samples "Milk with 10% lactose in WM," "Milk with 20% lactose in WM," and "Milk with 30% lactose in WM" correspond to modular whole milk powders prepared with about 10%, about 20%, or about 30% amorphous lactose by weight in the wet mix, respectively, on a dry basis. In other words, the modular whole milk powders contain about 10%, about 20%, or about 30% amorphous lactose by weight, respectively, with the remainder of the lactose being crystalline lactose. The "Reference Whole Milk" sample corresponds to the reference whole milk powder of Example 1, in which almost all of the lactose is in the amorphous state. The reference whole milk contains 39.4% amorphous lactose by weight. The sample was equilibrated at 20% relative humidity (RH) for 100 hours, and then the humidity was increased by 5% every 24 hours from 20% to 70% RH. The higher the amount of amorphous lactose, the higher the moisture content and the faster the moisture absorption rate at the same relative humidity. Furthermore, samples containing higher amounts of amorphous lactose (i.e., samples containing approximately 20% RH, approximately 30% RH by weight, and 39.4% RH) showed recrystallization peaks (indicated by asterisks) at 55%, 60%, and 65% relative humidity for the reference whole milk, milk with 30% lactose in WM, and milk with 20% lactose in WM, respectively. By converting amorphous lactose to a crystalline state, its resistance to humidity can be increased. However, limited amounts of lactose (milk containing 10% lactose in WM) are tolerated in the amorphous state without significantly affecting the quality and stability of the product. [Figure 5]To better highlight the differences, the moisture absorption rates of the different dairy powder samples shown in Figure 4 are zoomed in. Increasing the amount of amorphous lactose results in significantly higher moisture contents at comparable relative humidity. Furthermore, samples containing higher amounts of amorphous lactose (approximately 20-39.4% db amorphous lactose) recrystallize (indicated by an asterisk) when moving to higher moisture contents.

[0016] [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention] As used herein, the terms "comprise," "comprising," and the like are to be interpreted in an inclusive sense, i.e., "including, but not limited to," rather than in an exclusive or exhaustive sense.

[0017] All numerical ranges should be understood to include all integers within the range.

[0018] As used herein, the singular articles "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0019] Unless otherwise stated, all percentages herein refer to weight percentages, where applicable.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms have the same meaning and should be given the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0021] As used herein, the term "dairy-based food powder" refers to a powder comprising one or more dairy-derived ingredients. Preferably, the dairy-based food powder comprises at least 5%, more preferably at least 15%, and even more preferably at least 50% dairy-derived ingredients by dry weight.

[0022] As used herein, the term "hybrid dairy-based food powder" refers to a powder comprising one or more dairy-derived ingredients and one or more plant-based ingredients, in particular a powder comprising dairy protein and plant protein. Preferably, at least 3%, preferably 3-50%, preferably 5-30%, more preferably 10-30% of the total protein corresponds to plant protein. The remainder of the total protein is generally dairy protein. Hybrid dairy-based food powders have similar qualities in terms of appearance and texture to the corresponding authentic dairy-based food powders.

[0023] As used herein, the term "plant-based analog of a dairy-based food powder" refers to a food product that contains plant-derived ingredients, is dairy-free, and has similar qualities in terms of appearance and texture to the corresponding authentic dairy-based food powder. Preferably, the dairy analog product is made only from vegan ingredients.

[0024] As used herein, the term "crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides" refers to monosaccharides and / or disaccharides characterized by three-dimensional long-range order in the arrangement of atoms. The atoms of the crystal are arranged in a translationally periodic array.

[0025] Crystalline solids are characterized by a melting point, at which the transition between the solid and liquid states occurs (compared to the Tg of amorphous solids). Crystalline solids dissolve when a critical relative humidity is reached, e.g., 83-85% for sucrose. Below this value, negligible amounts of water can be found in the crystals (stored as water of crystallization in the crystalline matrix).

[0026] As used herein, the terms "amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides" or "non-crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides" refer to monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in which the atomic arrangement is highly disordered and the arrangement is non-periodic. In other words, amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides are monosaccharides and / or disaccharides that are crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. Amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides may also be glassy or rubbery solids.

[0027] As used herein, the term "vegetarian" refers to an edible composition that does not contain meat, such as fish.

[0028] As used herein, the term "vegan" refers to an edible composition that does not contain any animal products or animal-derived products.

[0029] As used herein, the term "texturing agent" refers to an ingredient other than vegetable or dairy protein that contributes to viscosity. Examples include starches (e.g., tapioca starch, corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, cassava starch, corn flour, etc.), pectin, gums (e.g., locust bean gum, carob gum, guar gum, etc.), hydrocolloids (e.g., alginates, agar, etc.), and fibers.

[0030] As used herein, the term "shelf life of x months" refers to a food powder that substantially retains its quality and functional properties (e.g., no spoilage, limited or no Maillard reaction, limited or no caking, limited or no carbohydrate recrystallization, maintains good flow and reconstitution properties, limited or no loss of flavor or taste) for x months.

[0031] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing a food powder.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the food powder is a hybrid dairy-based food powder, a dairy-based food powder, or a plant-based analogue thereof. The hybrid dairy-based food powder may be a hybrid dairy powder, a hybrid creamer powder, a hybrid yogurt powder, or a hybrid dairy dessert powder. The dairy-based food powder or a plant-based analogue thereof may be a dairy powder, a creamer powder, a yogurt powder, a dairy dessert powder, or a plant-based analogue thereof. Preferably, the food powder may be a hybrid dairy powder, a dairy powder, or a plant-based analogue thereof. More preferably, the food powder is a dairy powder or a plant-based analogue thereof.

[0033] In a more preferred embodiment, the food powder is a dairy-based food powder. The dairy-based food powder may be a milk powder, a creamer powder, a yogurt powder, or a dairy dessert powder. Preferably, the food powder is a dairy powder.

[0034] The method comprises the step a) of providing a liquid food composition.

[0035] The liquid food composition comprises up to 20% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 15% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. More preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 10% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Even more preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 5% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Even more preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 1% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Even more preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 0.5% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Even more preferably, the liquid food composition comprises up to 0.1% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, the liquid food composition is free of monosaccharides and disaccharides.

[0036] In one embodiment, the liquid food composition is carbohydrate-free.

[0037] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0038] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0039] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0040] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0041] It is important that the monosaccharides and disaccharides in the liquid food composition are limited or even absent before drying. In fact, most (if not all) of the monosaccharides and disaccharides in solution in the liquid food composition tend to form amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides upon drying. Amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are highly hygroscopic. High hygroscopicity results in significant moisture absorption in the food powder. Such moisture absorption reduces the stability of the powder (e.g., reduces moisture stability and increases moisture absorption capacity), leading to deterioration of the powder's quality and functional properties. When moisture absorption is significant, for example, Maillard reactions, loss of flavor or taste, reduced flow and reconstitution properties, caking, or early spoilage may occur over the shelf life. Therefore, significant moisture absorption may result in powders with undesirable properties. This limited amount of monosaccharides and disaccharides in the liquid food composition limits or prevents the formation of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides, thereby maintaining good properties and stability in the food powder.

[0042] The liquid food composition further comprises at least one ingredient different from mono- and disaccharides. Preferably, the at least one ingredient different from mono- and disaccharides of the liquid food composition is selected from the list consisting of proteins, fats, emulsifiers, salts, or mixtures thereof.

[0043] In one embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition consists of dairy protein, vegetable protein, or a mixture thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition consists solely of dairy protein.

[0044] In one embodiment, the food powder may be a plant-based analog of a dairy-based food powder and the protein of the liquid food composition may consist solely of plant protein. In this embodiment, the protein may consist solely of plant protein.

[0045] In one embodiment, the food powder may be a dairy-based food powder and the protein of the liquid food composition may consist solely of dairy protein. In this embodiment, the protein may consist solely of dairy protein.

[0046] In one embodiment, the food powder may be a hybrid dairy-based food powder and the protein of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of a mixture of plant and dairy proteins. In this embodiment, the protein may consist exclusively of a mixture of plant and dairy proteins.

[0047] In one embodiment, the fat is selected from the list consisting of vegetable fat, milk fat, or a mixture thereof. The vegetable fat may be any food-grade fat derived from a plant. Examples of vegetable fats include cocoa butter, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, palm fat, palm oil, palm olein, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, walnut oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, or a mixture thereof. The milk fat may be any food-grade fat derived from milk. In a preferred embodiment, the vegetable fat is palm fat. In another preferred embodiment, the milk fat is butter, for example, anhydrous milk fat. In one embodiment, the fat is a combination of palm fat and milk fat, in particular anhydrous milk fat.

[0048] In some embodiments, the fat comprises fat globules. In some embodiments, the milk fat comprises milk fat globules.

[0049] The emulsifier may be any food-grade emulsifier. Examples of emulsifiers include lecithin, monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids, sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), glycerol esters of diacetyltartaric acid and fatty acid, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the emulsifier is lecithin.

[0050] The salt may be any food-grade salt. Examples of salts include sodium salts, calcium salts, dicalcium salts, potassium salts, or mixtures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the salt is selected from the list consisting of sodium salts, calcium salts, dicalcium salts, or mixtures thereof.

[0051] In one embodiment, the liquid food composition comprises a fat and a protein. The fat may be a fat as provided above. The protein may be a protein as provided herein.

[0052] In one embodiment, the liquid food composition may further comprise at least one additional ingredient other than mono- and disaccharides, proteins, fats, emulsifiers, and salts. The at least one additional ingredient may be selected from the list consisting of minerals other than salts, vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, texturers, colorants, flavorings, sweeteners other than mono- and disaccharides, or mixtures thereof.

[0053] It is important that the total amount of monosaccharides and disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition (i.e., ingredients other than monosaccharides and disaccharides, additional ingredients, etc.) is limited, preferably equal to zero. As mentioned above, such a limit limits or avoids the formation of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. Amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are highly hygroscopic and can reduce stability, particularly reducing the hygroscopic stability and increasing the hygroscopic capacity of the powder over its shelf life. Examples of the adverse effects of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are provided above.

[0054] Thus, the sum of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition (i.e., protein ingredients, aqueous liquid, fat, emulsifier, salt, additional ingredients) is less than 20 wt.%, preferably less than 15 wt.%, more preferably less than 10 wt.%, and even more preferably less than 5 wt.% by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, the sum of monosaccharides and disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition is 0 wt.% by dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0055] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0056] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0057] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0058] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all ingredients of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular lactose, in other words, the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0059] Preparation of Liquid Food Composition Method 1 In one embodiment, the liquid food composition of step a) may be made by a method comprising dispersing at least one protein ingredient, and optionally a salt, in an aqueous liquid to form the liquid food composition. For example, the dispersing may be carried out at 50-65°C, preferably at 60°C.

[0060] Preferably, the protein raw material is a protein isolate or a protein concentrate. In fact, the protein isolate or concentrate has a limited amount of carbohydrates, in particular mono- and disaccharides. This limits the addition of mono- and disaccharides that form amorphous mono- and disaccharides when dried. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy protein raw material contains up to 5% by weight of mono- and / or disaccharides, preferably up to 1% by weight of mono- and / or disaccharides, more preferably up to 0.5% by weight of mono- and / or disaccharides, even more preferably up to 0.1% by weight of mono- and / or disaccharides, and most preferably no mono- and disaccharides.

[0061] The protein of the protein ingredient comprises a vegetable protein, a milk protein, or a mixture thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the protein ingredient is selected from the list consisting of a milk protein concentrate, a whey protein isolate, a casein micelle isolate, a vegetable protein isolate, a vegetable protein concentrate, or a mixture thereof.

[0062] In one embodiment, the protein of the protein ingredient may consist solely of plant protein. In an alternative embodiment, the protein of the protein ingredient may consist solely of dairy protein. In an alternative embodiment, the protein of the protein ingredient may consist solely of a mixture of dairy protein and plant protein.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the protein of the protein raw material consists solely of milk protein, in particular the protein raw material is selected from the list consisting of whey protein isolate, casein micelle isolate, milk protein concentrate or mixtures thereof.

[0064] In one embodiment, salt is optionally absent. The salt may be a salt as provided herein.

[0065] An aqueous liquid is a liquid that contains at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, of water. Preferably, the aqueous liquid is free of monosaccharides and disaccharides. More preferably, the aqueous liquid is free of carbohydrates. In particular, it is preferred that the aqueous liquid is water.

[0066] In one embodiment, the aqueous liquid may be mixed with at least one additional ingredient to form a liquid food composition. The at least one additional ingredient may be different from mono- and disaccharides, proteins, emulsifiers, and salt. The at least one additional ingredient may be selected from the list consisting of minerals different from salt, vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, texturers, colorants, flavorants, sweeteners different from mono- and / or disaccharides, or mixtures thereof.

[0067] In one embodiment, the method for preparing a liquid food composition may further comprise the step of optionally mixing the liquid food composition with at least one fat and, optionally, with at least one emulsifier. In one embodiment, this step is optionally absent. The fat and emulsifier may be as provided herein. In one embodiment, an emulsifier is optionally absent. For example, mixing may be carried out at 50-65°C, preferably 60°C.

[0068] In one embodiment, the at least one fat and emulsifier (if present) may be mixed together before being mixed with the liquid food composition. In this embodiment, the at least one fat and emulsifier (if present) may be mixed together at a temperature of 50-65°C, preferably 60°C.

[0069] It is important that the total amount of monosaccharides and disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition (i.e., protein ingredients, aqueous liquid, fat, emulsifiers, salt, additional ingredients, etc.) is limited, preferably equal to zero. As mentioned above, such a limit limits or avoids the formation of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. Amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are highly hygroscopic and can reduce stability, particularly reducing the hygroscopic stability and increasing the hygroscopic capacity of the powder over its shelf life. Examples of the adverse effects of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are provided above.

[0070] As provided herein above, the sum of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition is less than 20 wt.%, preferably less than 15 wt.%, more preferably less than 10 wt.%, even more preferably less than 5 wt.% by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, the sum of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition is 0 wt.% by dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0071] As a result, the total amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition is less than 20% by weight, preferably less than 15% by weight, more preferably less than 10% by weight, even more preferably less than 5% by weight of the dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, the total amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition is 0% by weight of the dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0072] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0073] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0074] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0075] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0076] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all ingredients of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0077] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0078] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular exclusively of lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0079] The method of preparing a liquid food composition may further comprise the optional step of heat treating the liquid food composition. In one embodiment, the heat treatment step is optionally absent.

[0080] The heat treatment step may be carried out at a temperature of at least 60° C., preferably at least 70° C., more preferably from 70° C. to 140° C. Preferably, the heat treatment is carried out for 0.5 seconds to 30 minutes, preferably from 3 seconds to 10 minutes.

[0081] The method may further comprise the optional step of homogenizing the liquid food composition. In one embodiment, the homogenization step is optionally absent.

[0082] The homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure greater than 50 bar. Preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 bar to 700 bar. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 bar to 500 bar. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 to 400 bar, 100 to 400 bar, or 140 to 400 bar.

[0083] More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a temperature of 50°C to 70°C. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a temperature of 55°C to 65°C.

[0084] The step of homogenizing the food composition may be carried out after or before the heat treatment step. Preferably, the step of homogenizing the food composition may be carried out before the heat treatment step.

[0085] Preparation of Liquid Food Composition Method 2 In an alternative embodiment, the liquid food composition of step a) can be prepared by a method comprising providing a liquid food composition comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. For example, the liquid food composition comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides can be milk, a milk concentrate reconstituted with water, a milk powder reconstituted with water, juice, coffee, a plant-based milk analog, or a mixture thereof. The milk can be skim milk, semi-skim milk, whole milk, or a mixture thereof. Preferably, the liquid food composition comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides is milk.

[0086] In one embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition may consist of vegetable protein, dairy protein, or a mixture thereof. In one embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition may consist solely of vegetable protein. In an alternative embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition may consist solely of dairy protein. In an alternative embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition may consist solely of a mixture of dairy protein and vegetable protein.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the protein of the liquid food composition consists solely of milk protein.

[0088] In one embodiment, the content of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition prior to the removal step is greater than 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1% by weight of the dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0089] In one embodiment, the content of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition before the removal step is greater than 1 wt. %, preferably greater than 5 wt. %, more preferably greater than 10 wt. %, even more preferably greater than 15 wt. %, even more preferably greater than 20 wt. %, even more preferably greater than 40 wt. %, and most preferably greater than 50 wt. % of the dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0090] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0091] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0092] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0093] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0094] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular exclusively of lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0095] The method for preparing a liquid food composition further comprises a step of removing some or all of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides from the liquid food composition. The removal step is preferably carried out by filtration. Filtration can be carried out by dead-end filtration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, and / or ultrafiltration. More preferably, filtration is carried out by ultrafiltration or nanofiltration. As a result, after the removal step, the liquid food composition contains up to 20% by weight, preferably up to 15% by weight, more preferably up to 10% by weight, even more preferably up to 5% by weight, even more preferably up to 1% by weight, even more preferably up to 0.5% by weight, and even more preferably up to 0.1% by weight of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, based on the dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, after the filtration step, the liquid food composition does not contain monosaccharides and disaccharides. After filtration, the liquid food composition may be free of carbohydrates.

[0096] This removal of mono- and disaccharides limits or avoids the formation of amorphous mono- and disaccharides during drying. Amorphous mono- and disaccharides are highly hygroscopic and can decrease the powder's stability, particularly its hygroscopic stability, over its shelf life and increase its hygroscopic capacity. Examples of the adverse effects of amorphous mono- and disaccharides are provided above.

[0097] In one embodiment, after filtration, the liquid food composition may be mixed with proteins, fats, emulsifiers, salts, minerals other than salts, vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, texture enhancers, colorants, flavoring agents, sweeteners other than monosaccharides and disaccharides, or mixtures thereof. The proteins, fats, emulsifiers, and salts may be as provided above.

[0098] It is important that the total amount of monosaccharides and disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition (i.e., protein ingredients, aqueous liquid, fat, emulsifiers, salt, additional ingredients, etc.) is limited, preferably equal to zero. As mentioned above, such a limit limits or avoids the formation of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. Amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are highly hygroscopic and can reduce stability, particularly reducing the hygroscopic stability and increasing the hygroscopic capacity of the powder over its shelf life. Examples of the adverse effects of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides are provided above.

[0099] As provided herein above, the sum of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition is less than 20 wt. %, preferably less than 15 wt. %, more preferably less than 10 wt. %, even more preferably less than 5 wt. % by dry weight of the liquid food composition. Most preferably, the sum of monosaccharides and disaccharides in all ingredients of the liquid food composition is 0 wt. % by dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0100] As a result, the total amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the liquid food composition is less than 20% by weight, preferably less than 15% by weight, more preferably less than 10% by weight, even more preferably less than 5% by weight, and most preferably 0% by weight, based on the dry weight of the liquid food composition.

[0101] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0102] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0103] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0104] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all the ingredients of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0105] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of all ingredients of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0106] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0107] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular exclusively of lactose, in other words the liquid food composition may be free of monosaccharides.

[0108] The method of preparing a liquid food composition may further comprise the optional step of heat treating the liquid food composition. In one embodiment, the heat treatment step is optionally absent.

[0109] The heat treatment step may be carried out at a temperature of at least 60° C., preferably at least 70° C., more preferably from 70° C. to 140° C. Preferably, the heat treatment is carried out for 0.5 seconds to 30 minutes, preferably from 3 seconds to 10 minutes.

[0110] The method of preparing a liquid food composition may further comprise the optional step of homogenizing the liquid food composition. In one embodiment, the homogenization step is optionally absent.

[0111] The homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure greater than 50 bar. Preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 bar to 700 bar. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 bar to 500 bar. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a pressure of 50 to 400 bar, 100 to 400 bar, or 140 to 400 bar.

[0112] More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a temperature of 50°C to 70°C. More preferably, the homogenization step may be carried out at a temperature of 55°C to 65°C.

[0113] The homogenization step may be after or before the heat treatment step. Preferably, the homogenization step is before the heat treatment step.

[0114] The method of the present invention further comprises step b) of drying the liquid food composition to obtain a food powder. The drying step is carried out by a dryer, also called drying equipment. The drying step can be carried out by any drying technique known in the art that is suitable for food products. For example, the drying step can be carried out by drum drying, roller drying, spray drying, or freeze drying.

[0115] In some embodiments, the drying step is carried out using a drying technique other than roller drying and / or freeze drying. The disadvantages of roller drying and freeze drying are addressed in a second aspect of the present invention.

[0116] Preferably, the drying step is carried out by spray drying. The advantages of spray drying are provided in the second aspect of the present invention. The method of the present invention further comprises step c) of adding crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides to the food powder. In step c), the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides are added to the food powder in a dry state.

[0117] In a preferred embodiment, the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides are added in step c) by dry mixing or fluid bed granulation.

[0118] In another preferred embodiment, step c) of adding the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides and step b) of drying are simultaneous, and the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides are added directly into the dryer while the liquid food composition is being dried therein.

[0119] After addition of the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, up to 30%, preferably up to 25%, more preferably up to 15%, even more preferably up to 10%, even more preferably up to 5%, even more preferably up to 1%, even more preferably up to 0.5%, even more preferably up to 0.1% of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

[0120] In a most preferred embodiment, the food powder does not contain amorphous mono- and / or disaccharides, in other words, the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder consist exclusively of crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides.

[0121] In one embodiment, the food powder comprises less than 10% sucrose by dry weight of the food powder, preferably less than 8% sucrose, more preferably less than 6% sucrose. In one embodiment, the food powder is sucrose-free. The presence of sucrose is preferably limited or avoided due to its hygroscopic and / or caloric properties.

[0122] In one embodiment, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are not embedded in the amorphous matrix of the food powder. In particular, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be in free form or may be adsorbed to the amorphous matrix of the food powder. The amorphous matrix of the food powder generally corresponds to the matrix obtained upon drying of the ingredients of the liquid food composition (e.g., fat, protein, emulsifier, etc.) in step b). The amorphous matrix excludes the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, in particular the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c).

[0123] In one embodiment, after the addition of crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides in step c), the total content of mono- and / or disaccharides in the food powder is 10-80 wt. %, preferably 10-70 wt. %, more preferably 10-60 wt. %, even more preferably 20-60 wt. %, and most preferably 20-50 wt. % by dry weight.

[0124] The addition of crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides after drying reduces the moisture absorption capacity and increases the moisture absorption stability of the food powder without affecting its sensory or nutritional properties. Indeed, the present invention relies on the state change of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides from an amorphous state to a crystalline state, while the amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides can be maintained so that the sensory and, optionally, nutritional properties of the food powder are not affected. In other words, the amount of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides can be maintained at the same level in the food powder of the present invention as in the corresponding reference food powder, so that the sensory and, optionally, nutritional properties of the target food powder are comparable. For example, the present invention makes it possible to achieve a dairy powder with the same level of lactose as a standard dairy powder, but with lactose in a mostly crystalline state, compared to a standard dairy powder in which the lactose is in an amorphous state.

[0125] Examples of crystalline monosaccharides include crystalline galactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline fructose, crystalline ribose, or mixtures thereof.

[0126] Examples of crystalline disaccharides include crystalline lactose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline lactulose, crystalline trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0127] In other words, examples of crystalline monosaccharides and disaccharides include crystalline galactose, crystalline lactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline fructose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline ribose, crystalline lactulose, crystalline trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0128] In one embodiment, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c) may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline galactose, crystalline lactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline fructose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline ribose, crystalline lactulose, crystalline trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c) may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline lactose, crystalline galactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c) may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline lactose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0129] In one embodiment, at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, even more preferably at least 80%, and even more preferably at least 90% of the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c) may consist of crystalline disaccharides, in particular crystalline lactose. In the most preferred embodiment, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides added in step c) may consist exclusively of crystalline disaccharides, in particular crystalline lactose. In other words, no crystalline monosaccharides may be added in step c).

[0130] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0131] In a most preferred embodiment, the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist exclusively of disaccharides, in particular exclusively of lactose, in other words the food powder does not contain monosaccharides.

[0132] In one embodiment, at least one additional ingredient may be added during or after step c). The at least one additional ingredient is different from monosaccharides and disaccharides. The at least one additional ingredient may be selected from the list consisting of fats, emulsifiers, proteins, salt, minerals other than salt, vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, modifiers, colorants, flavors, sweeteners other than monosaccharides and disaccharides, maltodextrin, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one additional ingredient should be free of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. The at least one additional ingredient may also contain amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides, but the amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the at least one additional ingredient should be such that the total amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the food powder does not exceed the maximum amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides provided above.

[0133] It has been discovered that using a liquid food composition containing limited or no monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the production of food powders and adding crystalline forms of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides after drying can improve the stability of the food powder over its shelf life (i.e., improve hygroscopic stability and reduce hygroscopic capacity) while maintaining desirable and acceptable organoleptic sensory properties. In particular, the resulting food powder may not exhibit significant adverse deterioration of its quality and functional properties over its shelf life (e.g., no caking) even when exposed to higher relative humidity (e.g., 40% relative humidity, or even higher, e.g., 55%-70%). This is because this method limits or prevents the presence of amorphous forms of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides.

[0134] The limitation or absence of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in a liquid food composition can be achieved by 1) reformulating the liquid food composition with ingredients containing limited or no monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, or 2) processing to remove monosaccharides and / or disaccharides from the liquid food composition. Crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides are added after drying. This addition compensates for the sensory deficiencies caused by the limited or absent monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. This addition also limits or prevents the formation of amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides, since they are added to an already dried powder. In addition, crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides are significantly less hygroscopic than amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, thereby improving the stability of the food powder, especially its stability against moisture, over its shelf life. The powders of the present invention have desirable and acceptable sensory properties because the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides are maintained through the addition after drying.

[0135] In a preferred embodiment, the food powder is not a roller-dried and / or freeze-dried food powder, hi a more preferred embodiment, the food powder is a spray-dried food powder.

[0136] In one embodiment the food powder comprises fat globules, in particular milk fat globules.

[0137] In one embodiment, the food powder may contain less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 2% by weight, more preferably less than 1.5% by weight, even more preferably less than 1% by weight, even more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of free fat.In an even more preferred embodiment, the food powder does not contain free fat.The free fat content of the food powder should be limited to avoid poor reconstitution properties.Free fat can also be called surface fat.

[0138] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a food powder.

[0139] The food powder may be a food powder as provided in the first aspect of the invention or vice versa.

[0140] The food powder comprises at least one ingredient different from mono- and disaccharides. The at least one ingredient different from mono- and disaccharides may be as provided in the first aspect of the invention.

[0141] The food powder further comprises monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, wherein up to 30%, preferably up to 25%, more preferably up to 15%, even more preferably up to 10%, even more preferably up to 5%, even more preferably up to 1%, even more preferably up to 0.5%, even more preferably up to 0.1% of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

[0142] In a most preferred embodiment, the food powder does not contain amorphous mono- and / or disaccharides, in other words, the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder consist exclusively of crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides.

[0143] Examples of monosaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, or mixtures thereof.

[0144] Examples of disaccharides include lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0145] In other words, examples of monosaccharides and disaccharides include galactose, glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof.

[0146] In one embodiment, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline galactose, crystalline lactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline fructose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline ribose, crystalline lactulose, crystalline trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline lactose, crystalline galactose, crystalline glucose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, crystalline fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of crystalline lactose, crystalline sucrose, crystalline maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0147] In one embodiment, at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, even more preferably at least 80%, even more preferably at least 90% of the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist of crystalline disaccharides, and in particular may consist exclusively of crystalline lactose.

[0148] In a preferred embodiment, the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist exclusively of crystalline disaccharides, in particular exclusively of crystalline lactose, in other words the food powder does not contain crystalline monosaccharides.

[0149] In one embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of galactose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, ribose, lactulose, trehalose, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, or mixtures thereof. More preferably, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be selected from the list consisting of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or mixtures thereof.

[0150] In one embodiment, at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, more preferably at least 70%, even more preferably at least 80%, even more preferably at least 90% of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist of disaccharides, in particular crystalline lactose.

[0151] In another preferred embodiment, the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist solely of disaccharides, in particular lactose. In other words, the amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist solely of amorphous disaccharides, in particular amorphous lactose, and the crystalline monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder may consist solely of crystalline disaccharides, in particular crystalline lactose. In particular, the food powder may be free of monosaccharides.

[0152] In one embodiment, the food powder comprises less than 10% sucrose by dry weight of the food powder, preferably less than 8% sucrose, more preferably less than 6% sucrose. In one embodiment, the food powder is sucrose-free. The presence of sucrose is preferably limited or avoided due to its hygroscopic and / or caloric properties.

[0153] In one embodiment, the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are not embedded in the amorphous matrix of the food powder, in particular the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder may be in free form or may be adsorbed to the amorphous matrix of the food powder.

[0154] In one embodiment, the food powder comprises 10-80% by dry weight, preferably 10-70% by weight, more preferably 10-60% by weight, even more preferably 20-60% by weight, and most preferably 20%-50% by weight, of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides. The monosaccharides and / or disaccharides may be as provided herein or as provided in the first aspect of the present invention. In one embodiment, the food powder may comprise fat. The food powder may comprise 0-40% by dry weight, preferably 1-40% by weight, more preferably 10-40% by weight, and even more preferably 20-40% by weight of fat. The fat may be the fat provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0155] In one embodiment, the food powder may comprise a protein. The food powder may comprise 5 to 70% by dry weight of protein, preferably 10 to 50% by weight, more preferably 20 to 50% by weight, and even more preferably 20 to 40% by weight. The protein may be a protein as provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0156] In one embodiment, the food powder may contain salt. The food powder may contain 0-5% by dry weight, preferably 0.1-5%, more preferably 0.5-5%, and even more preferably 1.5-4% by dry weight of salt. The salt may be as provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0157] In one embodiment, the food powder comprises 0-2% by dry weight of emulsifier, preferably 0.05-2%, more preferably 0.1-2%, even more preferably 0.3-1%. The emulsifier may be an emulsifier as provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0158] In one embodiment, the food powder may contain at least one additional ingredient. The at least one additional ingredient is different from monosaccharides and disaccharides. The additional ingredient may be selected from the list consisting of minerals other than salt, vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, modifiers, colorants, flavorings, sweeteners other than monosaccharides and disaccharides, maltodextrin, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one additional ingredient does not contain amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. The at least one additional ingredient may also contain amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides, but the amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the at least one additional ingredient should be such that the total amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides in the food powder does not exceed the maximum amount of amorphous monosaccharides and / or disaccharides provided above.

[0159] In one embodiment, the food powder has a shelf life of at least 3 months, preferably 3 to 24 months, more preferably 3 to 12 months, and even more preferably 9 to 12 months when stored at room temperature or at a temperature in the range of 15 to 25° C. Preferably, this shelf life also applies when the food powder is stored at a relative humidity of 40% to 70%, preferably 55 to 70%, and more preferably 60% to 70%.

[0160] In one embodiment, the food powder has a moisture content of less than 5% by weight. Preferably, the food powder has a moisture content of less than 5% by weight for at least 3 months, preferably 3 to 24 months, more preferably 3 to 12 months, even more preferably 9 to 12 months, when stored at room temperature or at a temperature in the range of 15 to 25°C and at a relative humidity of 40 to 70%, preferably 55 to 70%, more preferably 60 to 70%.

[0161] The powders of the present invention have most or all of the monosaccharides and disaccharides as crystalline, and have limited or no amorphous monosaccharides and disaccharides. As a result, the powders have improved stability, particularly against moisture, over their shelf life. The powders of the present invention have reduced moisture absorption capacity and increased moisture stability over their shelf life. In particular, the powders of the present invention have a reduced tendency to caking over their shelf life, even when exposed to significant relative humidity. The powders maintain acceptable organoleptic properties.

[0162] In a preferred embodiment, the food powder is not a roller-dried food powder and / or is not a freeze-dried food powder.

[0163] Roller drying and freeze drying are not advantageous because they alter the structure of fat and increase the presence of free fat in the food powder. The substantial presence of free fat adversely affects the reconstitution properties of the food powder. Roller drying and freeze drying are particularly not advantageous when the food powder is a dairy-based food powder or a hybrid dairy-based food powder. In fact, such drying processes negatively alter the structure of the milk fat globules and substantially increase the presence of free fat. Furthermore, roller drying is not advantageous because it causes organoleptic changes (e.g., caramelized notes) during the Maillard reaction that may be undesirable in some applications (e.g., dairy powders).

[0164] In a more preferred embodiment, the food powder is a spray-dried food powder. Spray drying is advantageous because it limits the generation of free fat and organoleptic defects due to the Maillard reaction. Spray drying is particularly advantageous when the food powder is a dairy-based food powder or a hybrid dairy-based food powder. Indeed, spray drying limits the change in the structure of milk fat globules and therefore the formation of free fat. In one embodiment, the food powder contains fat globules, in particular milk fat globules.

[0165] In one embodiment, the food powder may contain less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 2% by weight, more preferably less than 1.5% by weight, even more preferably less than 1% by weight, even more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of free fat. In an even more preferred embodiment, the food powder does not contain free fat. The free fat content of the food powder should be limited to avoid poor reconstitution properties.

[0166] In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a food powder obtainable by the method of the first aspect of the invention.

[0167] The features of the food powder of the second aspect of the present invention may be applied to the food powder of the third aspect of the present invention.

[0168] Those skilled in the art will understand that all features of the invention disclosed herein may be freely combined. In particular, features described for the product of the invention may be combined with the method of the invention, and vice versa. Furthermore, features described for different embodiments of the invention may be combined.

[0169] Furthermore, where known equivalents exist for specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to herein. Further advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and non-limiting examples.

[0170] [Example] Example 1: Preparation of reference whole milk powder A reference whole milk powder was prepared.

[0171] For preparation, anhydrous milk fat, milk protein concentrate (wherein the milk protein concentrate has a maximum of 4% lactose), and lactose were mixed with water at 60°C to obtain a wet mix with a total solids content of 40% by weight. The wet mix was then homogenized at 140 bar and 60°C, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds, and then spray-dried to obtain a whole milk powder consisting of anhydrous milk fat (28.3% db), milk protein concentrate (32.3% db), and lactose (39.4% db). The reference whole milk powder was rich in amorphous lactose, and the lactose in the reference whole milk powder consisted mainly of amorphous lactose (approximately 39.4% db).

[0172] Example 2: Preparation and sensory testing of modular whole milk powder with negligible amounts of amorphous lactose The modular whole milk powder was prepared with a negligible amount of amorphous lactose, specifically, the modular whole milk powder contains a negligible amount of lactose in the wet mix prior to spray drying.

[0173] For the preparation, anhydrous milk fat and milk protein concentrate (wherein the milk protein concentrate has a maximum of 4% lactose) were mixed with water at 60°C to obtain a wet mixture with a total solids content of 40% by weight and containing less than 0.1% by weight of lactose. This negligible amount of lactose comes from the milk protein concentrate. This wet mixture does not contain mono- or disaccharides other than lactose. The wet mixture was then homogenized at 140 bar and 60°C, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds, and then spray-dried to obtain a whole milk powder. The required amount of crystalline lactose was then dry-mixed with the whole milk powder to obtain a modular whole milk powder with the same composition as the reference whole milk powder in Example 1, i.e., anhydrous milk fat (28.3% db), milk protein concentrate (32.3% db), and lactose (39.4% db). The difference between the modular whole milk powder of Example 1 and the reference whole milk powder is that the lactose in the modular whole milk powder of this example consists mainly of crystalline lactose. Specifically, the modular whole milk powder contains a very small and negligible proportion of amorphous lactose, i.e., less than 0.1% db by weight.

[0174] 10 g of the reference whole milk powder of Example 1 or 10 g of the modular whole milk powder of this Example was diluted with 200 mL of water, and several trained individuals tasted it to evaluate the sensory properties, including the taste and texture of the milk. The modular whole milk powder was compared with the reference whole milk powder. The modular whole milk powder retained acceptable, and even comparable, sensory properties to the reference whole milk powder.

[0175] Example 3: Preparation of a reference fat-loaded milk powder A reference fat-loaded milk powder was prepared.

[0176] For preparation, skimmed milk powder was mixed with fresh milk at 60°C to obtain a wet mix.

[0177] In parallel, palm fat and emulsifier (lecithin) were mixed together at 60° C. to form a pre-emulsion, which is free of mono- and disaccharides, including lactose.

[0178] The pre-emulsion was mixed into the wet mixture at 60°C to form a mixture with a total solids content of 40%. The mixture was then homogenized at 60°C and 140 bar, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds, and then spray-dried to obtain a fat-filled milk powder. Additional ingredients, including crystalline sucrose, flavors, vitamins, minerals, maltodextrin, and salt, were further added to the fat-filled milk powder in a dry state to obtain the final reference fat-filled milk powder. The composition of the reference fat-filled milk is provided in Table 1.

[0179] The reference fat-filled milk powder is rich in amorphous lactose; the lactose in the reference fat-filled milk powder consists mainly of amorphous lactose.

[0180] The sucrose and maltose (from maltodextrin) in the reference fat-filled milk powders are exclusively in crystalline form since they are added after drying.

[0181] [Table 1]

[0182] Example 4: Preparation and sensory testing of modular fat-filled milk powders with negligible amounts of amorphous lactose The modular fat-loaded dairy powders were prepared with negligible amounts of amorphous lactose, specifically, the modular fat-loaded dairy powders contain negligible amounts of lactose in the wet mix prior to spray drying.

[0183] The formula and method for preparing the reference fat-filled milk powder were adjusted to prepare a modular fat-filled milk powder with limited (negligible) amorphous lactose compared to the reference, yet with protein, fat, and lactose compositions equivalent to the reference. Specifically, fresh milk and skim milk powder were removed to limit amorphous lactose. Equivalent levels of milk fat and protein present in fresh milk and skim milk powder were added separately to the wet mix. Similarly, equivalent levels of lactose were added in crystalline form after drying.

[0184] For the preparation, a milk protein concentrate (wherein the milk protein concentrate has a maximum of 4% lactose) was mixed with water at 60°C to obtain a wet mix containing less than 0.1% by weight of lactose. This negligible amount of lactose comes from the milk protein concentrate. The wet mix does not contain mono- or disaccharides other than lactose.

[0185] In parallel, anhydrous milk fat, palm fat, and emulsifier (lecithin) were mixed at 60° C. to form a pre-emulsion. The pre-emulsion is free of mono- and disaccharides, including lactose.

[0186] The pre-emulsion was mixed into the wet mixture at 60°C to form a mixture. The mixture was then homogenized at 140 bar and 60°C, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds, and then spray dried to obtain a modular fat-filled dairy powder. Additional ingredients including flavors, vitamins, minerals, salt, crystalline lactose, maltodextrin, and crystalline sucrose were further added dry, particularly by dry mixing, to the modular fat-filled dairy powder to obtain the final modular filled dairy powder.

[0187] The composition of the modular fat-filled dairy powder is provided in Table 2.

[0188] The lactose in the modular fat-filled dairy powder of this example consists mainly of crystalline lactose. Specifically, the modular fat-filled dairy powder contains a very small and negligible proportion of amorphous lactose, i.e., less than 0.1% by weight db.

[0189] The sucrose in the modular fat-loaded dairy powders of this example is exclusively in crystalline form.

[0190] The maltose (derived from maltodextrin) in the modular fat-filled dairy powders of this example is exclusively in crystalline form.

[0191] 10 g of the reference fat-loaded milk powder of Example 3 and 10 g of the modular fat-loaded milk powder of this Example were each diluted with 100 mL of water, and trained individuals tasted them to evaluate the sensory properties, including the taste and texture of the milk. The modular fat-loaded milk powder was compared with the reference fat-loaded milk powder. The modular fat-loaded milk powder maintained acceptable, and even comparable, sensory properties to the reference fat-loaded milk powder.

[0192] [Table 2]

[0193] Example 5: Preparation of modular fat-filled milk powder starting from lactose-free ultrafiltered fresh milk Modular fat-filled milk powder was prepared using lactose-free ultrafiltered fresh whole milk.

[0194] For the preparation, a milk protein concentrate (wherein the milk protein concentrate has a maximum of 4% lactose) is mixed with lactose-free ultrafiltered fresh milk at 60°C to obtain a wet mix containing, in particular, less than 0.1% by weight of lactose. This negligible amount of lactose comes from the milk protein concentrate. This wet mix does not contain mono- or disaccharides other than lactose.

[0195] In parallel, milk fat, palm fat, and an emulsifier (lecithin) were mixed together at 60° C. to form a pre-emulsion, which is free of mono- and disaccharides, including lactose.

[0196] The pre-emulsion was mixed into the above heat-treated wet mixture at 60°C to form a mixture. The mixture was then homogenized at 140 bar and 60°C, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds, and then spray-dried to obtain a modular fat-loaded dairy powder. Additional ingredients including flavors, vitamins, minerals, salt, crystalline lactose, maltodextrin, and crystalline sucrose were further added in a dry state, particularly by dry mixing, to the modular fat-loaded dairy powder to obtain the final modular loaded dairy powder.

[0197] The composition of the modular fat-filled milk is provided in Table 3.

[0198] The lactose in the modular fat-filled milk powder comprising ultrafiltered fresh milk of this example consists mainly of crystalline lactose. In particular, the modular fat-filled milk powder contains a very small and negligible proportion of amorphous lactose, i.e., less than 0.1% by weight db.

[0199] The sucrose in the modular fat-loaded dairy powder containing ultrafiltered fresh milk of this example is exclusively in crystalline form.

[0200] The maltose (derived from maltodextrin) in the modular fat-filled dairy powder containing ultrafiltered fresh milk of this example is exclusively in crystalline form.

[0201] 10g of the reference fat-loaded milk powder of Example 3 and 10g of the modular fat-loaded milk powder containing ultrafiltered fresh milk of this Example were each diluted with 100mL of water, and several trained individuals tasted them to evaluate the sensory properties, including the taste and texture of the milk. The modular fat-loaded milk powder containing ultrafiltered fresh milk was compared with the reference fat-loaded milk powder. The modular fat-loaded milk powder prepared using ultrafiltered fresh milk retains acceptable, and even equivalent, sensory properties compared to the reference fat-loaded milk powder.

[0202] [Table 3]

[0203] Example 6: Analytical characterization Water activity was measured using an AquaLab 4TE Decagon (Decagon Devices Inc., US). Measurements are based on the detection of dew on a mirror when the sample and headspace are at equilibrium with respect to relative humidity and temperature. Measurements are performed at 25°C (±0.1°C) for all samples. The instrument has a measurement interval of approximately 5 minutes and records values. Water activity is measured in duplicate with an accuracy of ±0.007.

[0204] Moisture content was measured using an oven method at 102°C for 2 hours on a sample mass of approximately 2 g.

[0205] The glass transition temperature (T g) was measured. A double-scan procedure was used to eliminate the relaxation enthalpy and obtain a more accurate measurement of the glass transition. For the measurement, each sample weighing 10–30 mg was scanned at a heating rate of 5°C / min starting from 25°C to approximately 100°C. The system was then cooled at 20°C / min, after which a second scan was performed. The glass transition temperature was measured by the second scan and defined as the appearance of a step change in the heating capacity. Based on previous experience, the glass transition is measured with an accuracy of ±3°C.

[0206] Sorption isotherms were constructed based on a rapid method. For the construction of sorption isotherms, samples are stored in several desiccators (i.e., one for partial drying and one for partial humidification) for a short period of time, usually about 48 hours. This allows the sample to be pre-equilibrated at different water activities. To construct a robust sorption isotherm, a minimum of five different points (water activity / water content / T g ) is required. Then, each sample is g Heat treatment at +5°C for 2 hours to eliminate the moisture gradient within the product and achieve the so-called equilibrium water activity a w get.

[0207] Specifically, moisture sorption rate experiments were performed using a moisture sorption measuring instrument SPS (proUmid, Ulm). Samples of the same volume were placed in aluminum pans and tared. The samples were then equilibrated at 25°C and 20% relative humidity until equilibrium was reached (after 100 hours). The relative humidity was then increased from 20% to 70% by 5% RH every 24 hours. Equilibration and possible crystallization of the samples were allowed to occur over a 24-hour period. Moisture was absorbed by each different sample. The resulting weight gain relates to the amount of moisture absorbed by the sample.

[0208] Example 7: Physical Stability Evaluation 6.1 Reference whole milk powder and modular whole milk powder The physical stability of the reference whole milk and modular whole milk of Examples 1 and 2, respectively, was evaluated based on the moisture sorption isotherms. The moisture sorption isotherms were measured as disclosed in Example 6 and were used to determine the glass transition temperature (T g ) and water content (Figure 1), or water content and water activity (Figure 2). g , moisture content, and water activity were measured as disclosed in Example 6. The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0209] Comparing the moisture absorption isotherms of reference whole milk and modular whole milk, it can be observed that removing lactose from the wet mix and dry adding lactose in crystalline form only to the dried powder significantly reduces the moisture absorption capacity of the whole milk powder (higher water activity is expected at comparable moisture content) (see Figures 1 and 2). It can be concluded that the powder obtained by removing amorphous lactose from the milk powder so that it contains only crystalline lactose no longer exhibits a glass transition temperature and is therefore more resistant to caking over its shelf life (see Figure 1).

[0210] 6.2 Fat-filled milk powder The physical stability of the reference fat-loaded milk powder, the modular fat-loaded milk powder, and the modular fat-loaded milk powders prepared with ultrafiltered fresh milk in Examples 3, 4, and 5 was evaluated based on the moisture sorption isotherms. The moisture sorption isotherms were measured as disclosed in Example 6, and the T g The data are plotted based on water content and moisture content (Fig. 1) or on water content and water activity (Fig. 2). g , moisture content, and water activity were measured as disclosed in Example 6. The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0211] Only the reference fat-filled milk powder had a glass transition temperature (T g ), whereas the modular fat-filled milk powder containing only crystalline lactose and no amorphous lactose showed T gIt was not possible to measure moisture content (Figure 1). This indicated that modular fat-filled milk powders containing only crystalline lactose should be more resistant to caking. Furthermore, the removal of amorphous lactose and the dry addition of crystalline lactose affected the moisture absorption capacity of the samples (see Figures 1 and 2). Modular fat-filled milk powders containing only crystalline lactose, but not amorphous lactose, showed a decrease in moisture absorption capacity compared to the reference fat-filled milk powder containing amorphous lactose (see Figure 2). This decrease means that modular fat-filled milk powders reach lower moisture content values ​​at comparable water activities when compared to the reference fat-filled milk powder. The conclusions provided regarding modular fat-filled milk powders also apply to modular fat-filled milk powders containing ultrafiltered fresh milk. In particular, modular fat-filled milk powders containing ultrafiltered fresh milk exhibit improved physical stability, especially improved moisture absorption stability (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0212] Example 8: Moisture absorption rate According to the moisture absorption rate experiment method of Example 6, the moisture absorption rates of the reference fat-loaded dairy powder and modular fat-loaded dairy powder of Examples 3 and 4, respectively, were evaluated.

[0213] The moisture absorption rates of the reference fat-loaded dairy powder and the modular fat-loaded dairy powder of Examples 3 and 4, respectively, at increasing relative humidity are shown in FIG.

[0214] The reference fat-filled milk absorbed significantly more water than the modular fat-filled milk, which primarily contains crystalline lactose. Therefore, the modular fat-filled milk can extend its shelf life before reaching critical water activity. Furthermore, the reference fat-filled milk powder showed a peak at 55% relative humidity, representing lactose recrystallization (see asterisk in Figure 3). Lactose recrystallization creates stability and reconstitution problems in milk powders. Therefore, by transferring lactose from an amorphous to a crystalline state, it is possible to create powders with increased stability. Increased stability is indicated herein by a decreased moisture absorption capacity and, therefore, a decreased moisture absorption rate.

[0215] Example 9: Acceptable Amount of Amorphous Lactose The maximum amount of amorphous lactose that can be tolerated in a dairy powder that maintains acceptable physical stability and moisture pick-up over the shelf life was investigated.

[0216] To perform this evaluation, modular whole milk powders containing different amounts of amorphous and crystalline lactose were prepared as well as a reference in which almost all of the lactose was in the amorphous state.

[0217] For preparation, anhydrous milk fat, milk protein concentrate, and lactose were mixed with water at 60°C until no lumps remained, resulting in a homogeneous wet mix with a total solids content of 40% by weight. The amounts (on a dry basis) of the different ingredients in the wet mix are shown in Table 4 (corresponding to the amounts of ingredients in the final powder before dry mixing with crystalline lactose). Five different percentages of amorphous lactose were used, ranging from 0 to 100% (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% amorphous lactose relative to the total lactose content correspond to approximately 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 39.4% amorphous lactose in the final powder, respectively). Wet mixes of modular whole milk powder containing approximately 0%, 10%, and 20% amorphous lactose were further diluted with water to a total solids content of 30% TS to adjust the viscosity. The different wet blends were homogenized at 140 bar and 60°C, pasteurized at 83°C for 4 seconds and then spray dried to obtain modular whole milk powders with different amounts of amorphous lactose.

[0218] The spray dried modular whole milk powder was then remixed with the required amount of crystalline lactose (see Table 5) to reach the same total lactose concentration of approximately 39.4% db.

[0219] The whole milk reference was prepared as provided in Example 1.

[0220] [Table 4]

[0221] [Table 5]

[0222] The moisture absorption rates of different modular whole milk powders were evaluated according to the moisture absorption rate experiment method of Example 6.

[0223] The results are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 5 is an enlargement of the relevant portion of Figure 4 to better illustrate the differences.

[0224] Increasing the amount of amorphous lactose resulted in higher moisture contents at comparable water activities. Furthermore, lactose recrystallization occurred in dairy powders containing approximately 20% db, 30% db, and 40% db amorphous lactose (see stars in Figures 4 and 5). This recrystallization is undesirable because it adversely affects powder properties, particularly the reconstitution characteristics of the powder. In samples containing approximately 10% db amorphous lactose, no recrystallization was observed up to 70% relative humidity. Therefore, approximately 10% db amorphous lactose appears to be acceptable based on physical stability, resulting in powders with acceptable stability, particularly hygroscopic stability.

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing a food powder, comprising: a. providing a liquid food composition, said liquid food composition comprising up to 20% by dry weight of said liquid food composition of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, and further comprising at least one component different from the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides; b. drying the liquid food composition to obtain a food powder; c) adding crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides to the food powder, wherein up to 30%, preferably up to 10%, of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the mono- and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid food composition does not contain monosaccharides and / or disaccharides.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the food powder does not contain amorphous mono- and / or disaccharides.

4. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the total content of monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder is 10 to 80 wt.%, preferably 10 to 70 wt.%, more preferably 10 to 60 wt.%, even more preferably 20 to 60 wt.%.

5. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one ingredient different from monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the liquid food composition is selected from the list consisting of proteins, fats, emulsifiers, salts, or mixtures thereof.

6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the protein of the liquid food composition comprises a dairy protein, a vegetable protein, or a mixture thereof.

7. 7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the fat is selected from the list consisting of vegetable fat, dairy fat, or mixtures thereof.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the food powder is a dairy-based food powder or a plant-based analogue thereof, preferably a dairy powder or a plant-based analogue thereof.

9. The liquid food composition of step a) dispersing at least one protein ingredient, and optionally salt, in an aqueous liquid to form a liquid food composition; Optionally, mixing the liquid food composition with at least one fat and optionally with at least one emulsifier; Optionally, heat treating the liquid food composition; 9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the liquid food composition is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:

10. The liquid food composition of step a) Providing a liquid food composition comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides; removing some or all of the monosaccharides from the liquid food composition via filtration, preferably ultrafiltration; Optionally, heat treating the liquid food composition; 9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the liquid food composition is prepared by a method comprising the steps of:

11. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides are added in step c) by dry mixing or fluidized bed granulation.

12. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein steps b) and c) are simultaneous and the crystalline mono- and / or disaccharides are added directly into a dryer while the liquid food composition is being dried in the dryer.

13. 1. A food powder comprising at least one component different from monosaccharides and disaccharides and further comprising monosaccharides and / or disaccharides, wherein up to 25% by weight of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are amorphous, and the remainder of the monosaccharides and / or disaccharides of the food powder are crystalline.

14. 14. The food powder of claim 13, wherein said at least one ingredient different from mono- and disaccharides is selected from the list consisting of proteins, fats, emulsifiers, salts, or mixtures thereof.

15. 15. The food powder of claim 13 or 14, which is a spray-dried food powder.

16. A food powder obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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